RESOLUTION OF THE MONTENEGRIN P.E.N. CENTER

On the Endangerment of Montenegrin Culture, People and State

On the basis of the principles of the Charter and Resolution of
the International P.E.N. Center, which emphasize the importance
and protection of the national identity of the small nations and
their cultures, it is the right and duty of the Montenegrin P.E.N.
Center to point out, in Montenegro and internationally, the Great
Serbian chauvinism and hegemony aiming to abolish and assimilate
the Montenegrin nation, its history and culture. The situation
has been aggravated by the fact that the Montenegrin authorities,
because of their shortsighted interests, have been supporting
such tendencies and processes, seriously endangering the thousand-year-old
state, culture and national identity of the Montenegrins.

I. WHAT IS IT ALL ABOUT?

1. Great Serbianism is a grand illusion and a disastrous force
in 20th century Montenegrin history. The Great Serbian epidemic
also affected King Nikola I and his unique kingdom. Due to this
illusion we have been through heavy traumas, humiliations, and
even fratricidal fights. We have missed excellent opportunities
to stabilize and develop ourselves in a civilized way, like other
small European countries.

2. The Yugoslav crisis and the disintegration of Yugoslavia have
been largely caused by the rise of the Great Serbian forces and
their more and more aggressive actions. While in some parts of
ex-Yugoslavia the Great Serbian hegemony proved extremely disastrous,
with unprecedented bloodshed and destructiveness, in Montenegro
a dangerously perfidious strategy of submission is being pursued,
which in many ways reminds us of the activities of fascism on
the eve of the Anschluss of Austria in 1938.

3. The Montenegrin leadership, who gained power on the wings of
Great Serbianism at the very beginning of the Yugoslav crisis,
being burdened with inexperience and a political debt to their
Serbian mentors, accepted a subordinate role of assisting and
serving someone else's interests and nebulous ambitions. Obviously,
it was not conscious of its historical role and the responsibility
it faced during the disintegration of Yugoslavia.

4. They accepted the creation of a double federation and the establishment
of a Constitution which only in a formally legal, demagogic and
provisional way retains the state and national attributes of Montenegro.
It enables the territorially, demographically and economically
larger and stronger Serbia to establish freely the domination
of its own interests. Given the existence of an aggressive Great
Serbianism, such a federation, in fact, accelerates the processes
of disappearance of the Montenegrin state and a forced assimilation
of the Montenegrin people.

5. That Constitution, among other things, declares Serbian as
the language of the Montenegrins, in spite of the fact that the
Montenegrin language has its own history and confirmation in literature,
in the same degree the Serbian, Croatian and Bosnian languages
have. Thus its particularity has been rescinded, and its literary
and practical fulfillment made impossible.

6. The Great Serbian credo of mythic nationalism dominates in
the school programs, the institutions dealing with culture, the
media and cultural manifestations. At the same time, everything
that supports a historical awareness and the values of the Montenegrin
national culture has been neglected, rejected and falsified.

7. A number of institutions promoting the emancipation and affirmation
of Montenegro and its culture have been closed or degraded. Individuals
of the Great Serbian orientation have been given managerial positions
in the civil services, in education, science, health, culture
and in the media.

8. The Serbian Orthodox Church, by medieval dogmas and methods,
is trying hard to become a leading spiritual force of Great Serbianism,
especially in Montenegro. Its particular activity is to discredit
the Montenegrin Orthodox Church, which has all historical, canonical
and moral rights to exist and exercise its influence. The Serbian
Orthodox Church endangers, also, the existence of other religions
in Montenegro.

9. There are many cases of drastic and organized abuses of the
human rights and freedom of Moslems, Albanians and Croats in Montenegro,
which violate the constitutional concept of a civil state and
force the emigration of Montenegrins.

10. The manipulations with the Orthodox refugees from Bosnia and
Herzegovina are important tools of the Great Serbian hegemony.
Many of them have illegally become citizens of Montenegro, and
now they are very active in contributing to the realization of
the Great Serbian programs. In the same way, the migration from
Serbia has been stimulated through the purchase of real estate
and the offers of prominent positions in society. The multi-cultural
Bay of Kotor as well as the whole of the Montenegrin coast, which
for centuries exhibited progress and tolerance, have been turned
into military bases and a stage for Great Serbian aspirations.

II. WHAT IS TO BE DONE?

1. It must be realized and accepted that the preservation, emancipation
and development of the Montenegrin state, nation, culture and
other centuries-old particularities of the Montenegrin region
is a historical obligation for contemporary generations. If those
inalienable and sacred values could be saved and developed in
past centuries during hard times of violence and deception, of
manslaughter by the powerful and tyranny of the arrogant, it is
much easier to do so today when international relations have evolved
in the direction of deep respect for small peoples and their countries.

2. As to international factors, Montenegro has every chance to
be recognized and accepted as an equal member of the UN and other
international organizations and, as such, to be a factor for peace
and stability in the Balkans and the Mediterranean. As a sovereign
state, it has all the prerequisites for a fast and versatile development
and an intensive international cooperation in economics, science,
education, health, culture and sports.

3. After everything that has happened in this century, especially
in recent years, it must finally be clear that Great Serbianism
is a dangerous utopia and a great evil, as much for Serbia as
for Montenegro. Considering the arrogant behavior of the Serbs
in Bosnia and Croatia, a very complex situation in Kosovo, and
the persistence of Great Serbianism as the dominant official policy
of Serbia, Serbia will be mired in tragic problems for a long
time to come. Montenegro can and must stand aside of all that
in order to cherish and develop the long term interests of its
own community.

4. We particularly want to emphasize that the governing forces
in Montenegro have an exceptional historical responsibility which
they must be aware of. We believe that the present Montenegrin
leadership still has a historic opportunity to provide stability,
development and international respect for their country and its
people, and to redeem themselves and earn an honorable place in
the history of Montenegro. Although the Montenegrins have been
indoctrinated (by Serbia) with a dangerous belief in a messianic
role and irrational ideas of life and success, directed towards
the pursuit of a Great Serbian utopia, they could, rather quickly,
be oriented toward civilized norms of behavior and work and find
a way to the broad vistas of progress.

5. There need be no fear of the people's reaction if all the possibilities
and potential opportunities are explained to them in a real and
rational way. After giving detailed and honest information, we
could support a referendum. But, in that case, the ballot must
be clear and precise, and reflect the long-term interests of Montenegro.
For us there are only two choices: Montenegro -- a sovereign and
modern state; or Montenegro -- a Serbian province.

6. The decision to proclaim Montenegro an ecological state is
of prime importance and key to protecting its valuable natural
resources. Tourism, maritime economy, energy, livestock breeding,
fruit and vegetable growing, duty-free trade, services and some
other business transactions can, rather quickly, bring about a
large accumulation of capital, promote the private sector and
motivate foreign partners. The prerequisite to all of this is
freeing ourselves from the present dependence on and subordination
to Serbia.

7. It is necessary to have educational, scientific, cultural and
other programs changed, to liberate them from the myths, legends,
and mystification of the past, and thus turn ourselves towards
cherishing the highest results of civilization, as well as systematic
work and creativity. We should cherish those things from our tradition
which have asserted our creative vitality and affirmation of civilization.

8. All the progressive forces of our society should aid the affirmation
of the Montenegrin state. The intellectuals have a special responsibility,
even those who have been passive so far, constrained in the prosaic
framework of mere survival. This is the moment when politics concerns
all those who care about freedom, dignity, a better life, the
prosperity of society and the future to come.

9. We put a special emphasis on the necessity of a peaceful way
in solving the problem of protecting the Montenegrin state, nation
and culture. A fratricidal fight must not be allowed because its
consequences are far-reaching and tragic, and devastation, in
any way, of scarce material goods is unacceptable. Also, it is
necessary to establish the national, religious and other rights
of the Moslem, Albanian and Croat populations of Montenegro.

10. The Montenegrin P.E.N. Center, as a member of an eminent international
organization, will continue to act in accordance with the Charter
and Resolution of this organization. It is our duty to plead for
and to contribute to the protection and affirmation of the national
identity of the Montenegrin people and the Montenegrin culture,
the freedom of individuals in their private and public activities.
The Montenegrin P.E.N. Center, considering its international status
and mission, accepts a special responsibility to inform the world,
the international forum and institutions about the situation in
Montenegro.